Simple Minds have come an awfully long way since 1977 and Johnny & The Self Abusers. They’ve pretty much been two bands. The first one being post-punk/new wave/electronic, the second being a post-’85/’86 stadium band (yawn). I prefer the first. However I think (hope) there might be enough of that electronica in the second band to keep it interesting enough for me… I don’t know, this is the first time seeing them live and I’ve never really taken much interest in their later material.
As luck would have it, the bulk of their set is from between ’82 (New Gold Dream) and ’85 (Once Upon a Time).
They open with Waterfront. It’s a BIG sound. Jim Kerr works the stage from end to end, and the crowd. And he doesn’t let up for the whole show. One has the impression that he’s making every single person there feel like he’s engaging with them personally. It’s great to watch.
Next is Midnight walking, the most recent in the set from 2014’s Big Music. Another big song… big bass… big drums.
The rest of the set alternates back and forth between the two aforementioned albums, the only other exceptions being Let There Be Love and See The Lights from 1991’s Real Life, and the highlight for me, the instrumental Theme For Great Cities from ’81’s Sister Feelings Call . Fucking epic. That’s the Simple Minds I really like.
Half way through the set Kerr gets into the pit and works his way across the front of the barrier, grabbing people’s hands and singing into the crowd, and they’re loving it. At another point he asks “Was anyone here… there… Croke Park?” A big cheer. And again for Phoenix Park. Big cheer. And again for the SFX. Uncertain cheer, to which he responds with “My arse!”
The main set ends with Don’t You (Forget About Me) and, unsurprisingly, the crowd goes mental. The la la la refrain at the end is kept going by Kerr asking them to sing it in French, then Spanish, then Italian and finally Irish. They keep going, he looks at his watch and says “It’s all right for you, I’ve got work tomorrow”, followed with “Is this the only song you know?”
The first of the encore, Book of Brilliant Things, is sung by backing vocalist Sarah Brown (a great voice), then ending with Alive and Kicking. The ride is over. Everyone is elated and danced out.
An infinitely more enjoyable show than I anticipated. The band are brilliant, Kerr is a total pro, and his exceptionally talented, long-standing band mate Charlie Burchill is still there with him. Interesting that the show was a mid-80’s one. I wonder if that says anything about the rest of the music they’ve released?
Opening act on the night was KT Tunstall.
KT Tunstall photos:
Simple Minds photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Waterfront
Midnight Walking
Glittering Prize
Oh Jungleland
Let There Be Love
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
I Wish You Were Here
Someone Somewhere in Summertime
Ghost Dancing
Theme for Great Cities
Promised You a Miracle
All the Things She Said
See the Lights
Don’t You (Forget About Me)
______________________________
Book of Brilliant Things
Alive and Kicking
Photos & words Cormac Figgis @themasterswitch